ultimate favorite

USAGE SUMMARY

The expression 'ultimate favorite' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it in a variety of contexts to indicate that something is the absolute favorite, for example: My ultimate favorite dessert is chocolate mousse.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

This year, I think "Silver Linings Playbook" was my ultimate favorite.

The New York Times

His favorite sports are basketball and ultimate; favorite board game is The Resistance.

Harvard University

One female fan was Oprah Winfrey, who gave Beetles to the audience of her "Ultimate Favorite Things" show.

The New York Times

The cars were among 276 promised last November as surprise gifts to attendees at a special "Ultimate Favorite Things" studio taping of "The Oprah Winfrey Show," now discontinued.

The New York Times

Though shimmer often evokes thoughts of tweens who have raided the shelves of their local Sephora, Oprah Winfrey recently appeared on the last "Ultimate Favorite Things" episode of her show wearing festive, glittery eye shadow.

The New York Times

When Sheppard began in 1951, he never expected that one day he would enunciate his ultimate favorite of a ballplayer name, Shigetoshi Hasegawa, a Japanese pitcher of the past decade.

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

"My personal, ultimate, best, favorite part is seeing that girls like you actually exist," said Giraldo, who is currently featured in the Fox Searchlight documentary "Step". "There are some really incredible and empowering women and girls that have just done so much at such a young age," De Forest agreed.

Los Angeles Times

Over TEN new multiplayer characters including ultimate fan favorites such as G1 Starscream and movie favorites like Sideswipe.

TechCrunch

And, they can also be transferred to your favorite Ultimate Rewards travel partner.

Forbes

Plus, you can transfer your points out to your favorite Ultimate Rewards travel partner which includes United, British Airways Avios (includes American and Alaska Airlines, Southwest Airliness, Hyatt, and Marriot to name of few of the transfer options.

Forbes

"Ultimate" examples of favorite dishes.

Los Angeles Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Reserve this expression for emphatic storytelling or personal testimonials to maintain its rhetorical impact

Common error

Do not use the word 'most' before the phrase. Since 'ultimate' already functions as a superlative, saying 'most ultimate favorite' is redundant and grammatically clunky

Linguistic Context

The phrase "ultimate favorite" functions as a compound noun phrase or an intensified adjective phrase. In this structure, the adjective 'ultimate' acts as a superlative modifier that elevates the status of the noun 'favorite'. According to Ludwig AI, this usage is standard for conveying a peak level of preference that surpasses all other alternatives.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Wiki

15%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Science

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "ultimate favorite" is a robust and widely used expression in modern English. Linguistic data from Ludwig AI indicates that it is an effective way to emphasize a superlative preference. The phrase is grammatically sound and frequently appears in prestigious publications such as The New York Times and The New Yorker. It serves as an intensifier, making it clear that the subject is the absolute top of its category. Writers should be mindful of redundancy and avoid pairing it with other superlative modifiers like 'most'. Overall, it is a versatile phrase that works well in storytelling, journalism and casual conversation when one wants to convey deep enthusiasm for a specific choice.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

all-time favorite

Focuses on the longevity of the preference across a person's life history

absolute favorite

Emphasizes the lack of any competition or doubt regarding the preference

unrivaled favorite

Highlights that no other option comes close to this specific preference

personal favorite

Shifts the emphasis to the subjectivity of the choice without being strictly superlative

top pick

A more informal or commercial term often used in reviews or selections

go-to choice

Focuses on the reliability and frequent selection of the item

primary preference

A more formal and clinical way to describe the most favored option

supreme favorite

Uses more elevated and dramatic language to indicate a top ranking

preferred option

A neutral alternative often used in professional or technical documentation

crowd favorite

Indicates a collective preference rather than an individual one

FAQs

How to use "ultimate favorite" in a sentence?

You can use it as a noun phrase to describe your top preference, for example: "This classic novel remains my "ultimate favorite" because of its deep character development."

What can I say instead of "ultimate favorite"?

Depending on the tone you want to achieve, you can use alternatives like "all-time favorite", "absolute favorite" or "top choice".

Is "ultimate favorite" grammatically correct?

Yes, it is a perfectly valid adjective phrase where 'ultimate' serves as an intensifier for the noun 'favorite'. It is widely accepted in both journalistic and casual English.

What is the difference between "favorite" and "ultimate favorite"?

While 'favorite' simply denotes something you like a lot, "ultimate favorite" suggests that the item is the absolute best among several other things you might also consider favorites.